


natural breeze

by vamprnt



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Aftermath, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Post-Canon, don’t ask me about age continuinity mind your business, pony is 16 steve is 18, so it might be rushed oops idc, two years after canon, yes jally is still dead sorry :/
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:26:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23063932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vamprnt/pseuds/vamprnt
Summary: Ponyboy, Steve, and Steve’s convertible.
Relationships: Ponyboy Curtis/Steve Randle
Comments: 7
Kudos: 64





	natural breeze

**Author's Note:**

> ahhh so this is my comeback to writing fics. i’ve loved the outsiders for years now but i’ve never made an official fic about it??? so here’s this :) now it may be rushed and shitty since my last fic was like six months ago and i wrote it at 1 in the morning but you gotta restart somewhere! so enjoy!

natural breeze

✿

God, Ponyboy hated biology class.

Mr. Wozniak. 7th period. Last class of the day.

Science always was his least favorite subject. It just irritated him, but usually he still did well enough to get A’s. Now, he kept getting back homework with C’s and D’s and he honest to god doesn’t know why. He pays attention, he takes notes, he studies, he even color codes despite Two-Bit always making fun of him because it was “girly”, but despite his efforts he still comes up short.

Whatever, the bell just rang and the only _D_ Ponyboy is worrying about is Darry lecturing him yet again about “ _good grades, college, scholarship, blah blah blah_ ” he’s heard it a thousand times.

The class filed out of the room quickly and Pony moved right along with them. He headed towards the front where Steve’s car was parked since that’s his ride home. Ever since Two-Bit graduated the rides have been kind of awkward because Pony doesn’t exactly have the _best_ history with Steve, hence why Pony doesn’t bother to speak to him in the car and the rides have been complete silence since his radio broke down. Hell, it’s still better than _walking_ home.

Just as Ponyboy was about to walk out the door, he feels a heavy hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he sees three tall, gigantic boys with facial hair – seniors, he assumes.

“You’re that Curtis kid, aren’t ya?” One of them spoke.

Ponyboy nodded, unsure of what the hell was going on. “That’s me.”

By the time Pony looks down at their clothing, it’s too late when he realizes they’re socs.

Everything afterwards is a blur. They’re in a bathroom, Ponyboy is being roughly pinned down by two of the guys, squirming to fight them off while the other looms over. He always knew the socs in town had quiet resentment towards him because of what happened with Bob, wondering when they would get their “revenge”, but nobody ever did much anymore after the rumble. Still, he should’ve expected it. He should’ve been prepared.

Another thing Pony isn’t prepared for is the switchblade the third soc pulls out. He never brought his switch because the school banned them. Why is he so adamant on following the rules?

Before Ponyboy can open his mouth to scream, the soc covers his mouth with one hand and brings the blade to his neck with the other. Pony’s had blades pulled out on him many times before, but something tells him this time would end differently.

His calls for help are still muffled, his body is full on thrashing to break free from their grip, but that doesn’t stop the soc from slicing a tiny portion of his neck before the bathroom door swings open.

“Get the fuck away from him!”

Almost immediately the senior socs get off him, turning their attention to his new _savior_ , but Pony is too shocked to get up and see what’s happening. He hears some banging, grunting, punching, then nothing.

“Hey, kid. Get up.” Ponyboy sees a figure standing over him, extending a hand out. He knows those set of teeth anywhere…

“Steve…” Ponyboy breathes, taking Steve’s hand and letting himself be hauled up on his feet.

_Steve fucking Randle_ saved his life. Of _all_ people.

Ponyboy looks in one of the bathroom mirrors. His hair is disheveled, there’s a bright bruise on his cheek, and there’s a messy, red mark where the soc slit him, but Steve looks clean and straight (well, for Steve’s standards).

“They ain’t rough you up too bad, did they?” Steve says.

“No. Just a few bruises, though one of them almost slashed my fucking throat.” Pony replies, bringing a hand to the scar, inspecting it sort of proudly, like he just become a man.

Steve pats his back, steering him towards the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

✿

The car ride home is silent, per usual. But today was just different. Now the silence was just uncomfortable, like a thickness in the air that couldn’t be swallowed.

Ponyboy kept looking at his scar through the visor mirror, wondering how the hell he was gonna break this to Darry. His eyes peered over to Steve, who looked more oddly stiff and serious than usual.

“I’m sorry.” Ponyboy mumbles lowly.

Steve doesn’t take his eyes off the road, but the face he makes is still visible. “Sorry for what?”

“Sorry for all of this. You’re probably gonna be late to work.”

“Look, it ain’t your fault those dirty bastards can’t keep their hands to themselves.” Steve stops at a red light. “It’d be sorrier if you were dead.”

Something came in Ponyboy’s mind. “How did you know where I was?”

“When you didn’t come to my car I got worried and started looking for ya.”

Ponyboy looked at him confused. Worried? Steve was _worried_ about him? “Don’t you hate me? I thought you’d rather me be dead honestly.”

Steve still didn’t look at him. “When the fuck have I ever hated you? You’re so dramatic sometimes.”

“What? You never liked me, always calling me a tagalong and annoying and stuff.” Ponyboy closed the visor because either he or Steve was going crazy. They never got along, even when Steve was calling him a “hero” after the fire, things went back to normal and instead of a “hero” Pony was a “little shit.” Now Steve was acting like _he_ was the crazy one for questioning this sudden erasure of history.

“You were a tagalong, but you’ve relaxed for awhile. As far as annoying, well, we can’t change that.” Steve laughed. Pony didn’t find it funny. “But I never hated you. I never even disliked you. I think you’re alright.”

Pony went silent. He just didn’t know how to respond to that. It was just… a lot.

After a few moments, Steve finally looks over at him. “Hey, I’ll start walking you from class for now on.”

Ponyboy couldn’t roll his eyes farther back. “Just because you stopped hating me don’t mean you gotta treat me like a kid, Steve. It was the one thing I liked about you.”

Steve’s changed momentarily, as if he was genuinely hurt by that comment, but then it changes again. “Did you have your switch on you?”

“No, the school don’t allow them.”

“There’s your problem, you keep caring about what the school says.”

“Whatever, Steve. I’m sixteen, I can protect myself.”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. I’ve seen you fight before. I’m just saying, maybe it’s good to just have someone to scare those trashy ass freaks away from you. They can’t handle the Randle.” Steve grins. Ponyboy’s eyes could roll into the back of their head knowing Steve felt proud of himself for that, but after all the man did just rescue him, so he lets him have it.

The conversation ends there, so Pony looks out the window.

Damn, this is a long-ass red light.

✿

When Ponyboy gets home, he tries to tell the truth.

Darry and Soda both noticed the bruises and just how overall shabby and shitty he looked.

“Pony, what the hell happened to you?” Darry asks loudly as him and Soda get up from their place on the couch.

Ponyboy rubbed his neck sheepishly. “School ended and when I got out of class these socs tried jumping me. They were seniors.”

“Are you okay?” Soda pries, touching his face in concern. God, he hated when him or Darry did that.

“Yeah, before they could do any real damage Ste—“

“The kid whooped all of their asses.” Steve interjects. Pony looked at him real crazy.

Soda and Darry looked at him real crazy too, cause it sure as hell sounded that. Soda turned towards Steve. “What? You mean Pony did?” He sounded bewildered. Way to drive your brother’s confidence.

“Soda, you had to be there. I went to go look for the kid and there he was fighting off the humongous beasts!” Steve sounded like he was telling one of his Poker stories. “He took em’ out one by one. No switch or nothing. Just pure hands. The kid’s like a war machine.”

Soda looks at him then at Pony, patting Pony on the back. “That’s my kid brother!” He beams. Pony half-smiles from the half-pride he gets from this half-lie. Soda goes into the room they share.

“Pony, I’m real proud of you for standing up for yourself.” Darry says. “But be careful, please. And you,” He points at Steve. “You need to keep a better eye out on him. But anyways, dinner’ll be ready by six.”

Darry walks to his room, leaving Pony and Steve alone. Pony turned to Steve.

“Why did you tell them that?”

Steve shrugged. “You said you didn’t wanna be treated like a kid. You know how those two can get.”

Ponyboy closes his mouth and smiles. Before he can say thank you, Steve is out the door.

✿

The next day, Ponyboy gets the biology unit test back. C minus. Yeah, Darry’s gonna kill him. Almost bitterly, Pony hopes that maybe he’ll get jumped by another group of socs so that he won’t have to explain this grade. It’s dire, but necessary.

When he walks out the class he’s immediately greeted by a familiar snaggletooth leaning on the door. “Ready to roll?”

Ponyboy groaned. “Steve, what did I tell you? You ain’t gotta treat me like I’m some kid, especially just because Darry told you.”

“Who said anything about Superman? I offered to walk you from class.”

“Did I say yes?”

“Did I say you had a choice?”

God, he was starting to like it better when Steve hated him. “Then that’s not an offer, Steve. It’s a command.”

Steve lifted himself off his side, standing up straight. “Damn, Pony I know you’re an intellect an’ all but you ain’t gotta get wordsy with me.”

Ponyboy laughed. He genuinely laughed. For the first time ever, one of Steve Randle’s jokes made him laugh.

“Language, Mr. Randle. You two should get going.” They heard Mr. Wozniak call out from inside the classroom.

Steve leaned in closer to Pony. “Shit, you got Wozniak? I fucking hated that guy.” He whispered.

“I hate that class.” Pony mutters.

They start walking towards Steve’s car, and when they reach the familiar red convertible, Pony raises his arms.

“See? Nothing happened. I’m good.”

“Only cause you’re with me.” Steve retorts, unlocking the car and jumping in.

Ponyboy shakes his head chuckling, opening the door like a _normal, civilized_ human being and getting in as well.

The ride home was silent, nothing new, but today it felt less… awkward, and Ponyboy was grateful for that. He’ll just deal with that C minus at home.

✿

Pony and Steve’s new system goes on for the rest of the week… then the rest of the month… then the rest of the semester… then the rest of the year.

Over time, he starts to realize that he actually enjoys Steve’s company. Everything Pony hated about Steve somehow shifted into good qualities. Steve’s cockiness was now admirable confidence; his knowledge of cars wasn’t annoying, but moreso impressive, his mean jokes were comedy gold, his backflips were simply cool, not showboaty, and his anger was heartfelt, misunderstood angst that Pony could truly feel from the depths of his heart and soul — okay, maybe he was getting _too_ carried away, but Steve really is a great guy.

Their car rides start getting more chattier and comfortable as they talk about their day, chatting shit about teachers, classmates, homework, and what not. When Steve got his radio fixed Pony fully expected him to start blasting Hank Williams on their way to his house, but Steve just says “It can wait.”

Pony starts hanging around the DX more, usually he avoided it cause only Steve would be available when Soda was busy, but there are days where he tells Steve to skip his house and go straight to the DX.

One day, Two-Bit came in the DX, watching Pony and Steve talk. When Steve left to work, Two-Bit walked up to Pony, leaning on the counter.

“So, you and Steve becoming good friends now, huh?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“Gee, Pony, if I ain’t know any better I would think you two are boyfriends or something.” Two-Bit laughs.

Ponyboy looks at him for a second, but manages to muster a very nervous laughter. Thankfully, Two-Bit finds himself so hilarious that he’s on the floor guffawing, too busy to notice Pony’s red face.

Why does he feel so embarrassed right now...

✿

May comes around and by this time Pony actually likes biology class.

It was weird, he remembers dreading that class so much everyday and drudging his feet along hoping that maybe they’ll just send him off to Hell or something, but now he strides there with excitement because learning about the human digestive system is just _so_ fun, but he’s doing much better now and he’s glad.

On the second to last day, he gets his final exam back. The day ends and Steve is already there at the door, waiting in his usual spot. They walk to Steve’s car.

“I got my exam back.”

“Well, what’dya make?”

Ponyboy slowly holds up a paper with a giant, red “A” at the top, along with a smiley face.

Almost immediately, Steve engulfs him in a hug. “I’m proud of ya, kid!” He exclaims so excitedly that Pony’s feet are off the ground for a second.

Pony lets go. “Hey, Steve. Since you’re graduating in a few days, uh, I never said thank you—“

“For that soc thing? That was so long ago, you know I don’t give a fuck.”

“I know, but since this is gonna have to end soon—“

“It doesn't have to end.”

“Huh? What do you mean I—“

Before Pony can finish his sentence, he’s cut off by Steve’s lips on his own. Steve Randle was _kissing_ him. _He_ was kissing him _back_.

After a second, Steve pulled away. “Did you like that?”

Ponyboy nodded feverishly, mouth still agape.

“Good. That’s your ‘thank you’ to me. Now get in, I’m off of work and we can celebrate that A.” Steve shoots a toothy grin before patting Ponyboy’s back and jumping in the car.

Ponyboy got in with him.

The car ride home was silent, but Ponyboy didn’t mind it at all.

He didn’t mind it one bit.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed! always remember that steve randle deserves better xoxo


End file.
